Salt block holder



May 6, 1958 F. H. BEYEA SALT BLOCK- HOLDER Filed Jan. 19, 1955 IN V EN TOR FRANK H. BEYEA HTTUPAEY;

SALT BLOCK HOLDER Frank Howe Beyea, Union Springs, N. Y.

Application January 19,1955, Serial No. 482,788

Claims. (Cl. 119--51) This invention relates to improvements in a salt block holder, of the type disclosed in Patent No. 2,203,275 issued June 4, 1940.

In the structure of the salt block holder shown in my above identified patent there are at least two distinct disadvantages experienced therewith, owing to the corrosive action of salt upon the metal parts associated with the holder. One of these disadvantages results from the fact that the steel bracket sections which connect the salt cake or block basin with a suitable support sooner or later become corroded by the action of the salt thereon, although these sections were coated with a rust prevention substance.

One of the objects of this invention, therefore, is to produce a salt block holder which is rust proof and non-corrosive in substantially its entirety.

The second disadvantage resulting from the structure shown in my patent referred to above is due to the salty liquid escaping from the bottom of the salt cake supporting backet to the stanchion or post to which the holder is attached and thereby causing said'stanchion or post to rust and corrode and thereby be eventually rendered useless not only as a support for the sale cake holder but also as a stanchion member.

A second object of my improved device is to so construct the salt block holder that salty water or liquid dripping from the salt block or forming in the bottom of the salt block supporting basin will be caused to escape therefrom at one side of the holder supporting bracket. The brine is thus prevented from coming into contact with the stanchion or post supporting the salt block holder, which prevents the ill effects otherwise resulting therefrom.

Another object of my invention is to produce a salt block holder having a revolving support for a cake of salt and a bracket for said support so constructed and arranged that said support may always turn freely with respect to the bracket throughout the life of the holder.

Other objects and advantages pertaining to the construction and operation of my improved holder will more readily appear from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved holder for cakes or blocks of salt and is illustrated ashaving a salt cake or block operatively connected therewith.

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially in the plane of the line 22, Figure 1, a supporting-post for the holder and portion of a cake of salt being illustrated by broken lines.

Figure 3 is top plan of the salt block holder illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 with the cake or block of salt removed.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of my improved basin sup porting bracket showing the angular relation of the basin supporting head of the bracket with respect to the remainder of said bracket.

As illustrated in the drawings, my improved salt block rates Patent ice holder comprises primarily a bracket 10 adapted to be secured to a suitable support and a receptacle or basin 11, adapted to carry a block or cake of compressed salt, as S. Bracket 10 and basin 11 are each a molded, one piece member, composed of a composition of asbestos and cement or of other suitable water-proof material of sulficient tensile strength to withstand any stress or strain to which it may be subjected incident to the ordinary use thereof.

Bracket 10 comprises an intermediate, substantially flat shank portion 13 having a cylindrical head 14 at one end thereof for rotatably supporting the basin 11 and a substantially T-shaped head 15 at its opposite end adapted to be clamped to a suitable support therefor, such as one of the upright posts -P of a stanchion structure. Bracket 10 is adjustably secured to post P by a U-bolt 16 composed preferably of stainless steel and which passes through a pair of apertures 17 provided in head 15, one at either side of shank 13. Nuts 18 screw-threaded on U-bolt 16 cooperate therewith for securely clamping bracket 10 to post P. In order that bracket 10 will be securely held against angular or rotary movement with respect to post P, the head 15 of said bracket has a vertically disposed semi-circular recess 20 in the outer face thereof, intermediate aperatures 17 adapted to receive the adjacent portion of post P therein.

The hereinbefore mentioned head 14 of bracket 10 has a substantially vertically disposed aperture or bore 22 extending therethrough which rotatably receives a cylindrical spindle 23 therethrough. Spindle 23 has its lower end extended a short distance below the bottomof bracket 10. The upper end of spindle 23 extends some distance above the bracket 10 and is enlarged to form a plug 25 of frustum formation adapted to be receivedin a similar shaped recess 26 extending inwardly from the bottom of basin 11 substantially coaxially therewith. The lower face 25 of plug 25 is tapered downwardly and inwardly and engages a similar concave recess 22' formed in head 14 at the upper end of aperture 22 from limiting the downward movement of spindle 23.

The basin 11 comprises a substantially flat bottom 28 having a marginal upwardly extending flange 29. The block of salt S is preferably tapered outward from its lower end and the inner peripheral surface 30 of flange 29 is correspondingly tapered so as to snugly fit the adjacent peripheral surface of the lower end of the salt block. The basin 11 is also provided with a. plug 32 which, in this instance, is made integral with bottom 28 and extends upwardly therefrom to a position above the flange 29. Plug 32 is tapered upwardly and inwardly from bottom 28 in opposed relation to the inner side wall 30 of flange 29 and in substantial conformity with the hereinbefore mentioned recess 26, and in which said recess is partially formed.

The salt block or cake S is provided with a centrally disposed conical shaped opening or aperture 8' adapted to receive plug 32 therein and to snugly fit said plug. It will be seen that when the cake S is mounted in basin 11, the lower portion of the cake will be wedged between the plug 32, and flange 29 so as to be frictionally held in the basin.

The plug 32 is also provided with a relatively coarse of flange 29 and plug 32 respectively, so that said cake of salt will not be accidentally removed from the basin either by an animal bumping against the cake or by the strokes o the .tongue of the animal across the. surface of the cake as the animals feed therefrom.

The bottom 28 of basin 11 is shown, provided with a plurality of, in this instance four, holes 37 arranged in substantially equal circumferentially spaced relation to each other, intermediate plug 32, and flange 29 to permit water or liquid forming in the basin 11 to escape therefrom. In order that the salty liquid escaping from basin 11 through holes 37 will be directed away from bracket 10 and therefore post P or some other support for said bracket, I have formed aperture 22 in angular relation with respect to head 15 and the recess 20, associated with said head, as indicated bybroken lines XX and YY, Figure 4, In other words, the relation of heads 15 and spindle 23 in aperture 22 is such that when bracket It} is secured to a vertical support, such as post P of a stanchion for cattle, or the like, the basin :11 will be. maintained in an inclined plane with thelower side of the basin opposite bracket 10, as shown in Figure 2. It is thus seen that moisture or liquid collecting in basin 11 or on the rim 29 thereof will naturally gravitate to the lower portion of basin 11 andtherefore away from bracket 10 before ilowing or dripping from said basin. The basin or receptacle 11 and spindle 23 are secured to each other and to bracket 10 by a tie rod 39 extending through plug 32 of basin 11 and spindle 23 coaxially therewith and nuts 40 screw-threaded on tie rod 39, one at either end thereof. Nuts 40 are of greater diameter than aperture 22 in bracket 10 so as to prevent accidental removal of spindle 23 and therefore basin 11 from bracket 10. Also nuts 40 are of less diameter than the upper end of plug 32 and of that portion of the salt block aperture S adjacent thereto, so that the salt block may be readily attached to basin 11. Nuts 4%) are composed of a non-rusting or corroding fibrous material similar to that of which bracket 10 and basin 11 are composed, so as to be completely resistant to the corroding action of the salt thereon. 42 are fibrous washers mounted on tie rod 39 between the lower end of spindle 23 and the upper end of plug 32 and thenuts 40 adjacent thereto to seal the space between nuts 40 and said spindle and plug surfaces adjacent thereto. This prevents salt or the salty liquid from coming into contact with tie rod 39 and thus helps maintain said tie rod against corrosion or rust. I

It will now be evident that although I have disclosed herein salt block holder which is an improvement over the structure shown, described and claimed in my above mentioned United. States Patent 2,203,275, in that the structure shown and described herein is longer lasting and lesstroublesome in operation. I have accomplished this without sacrificing any of the desirable features of my said previously patented salt block holder.

While the invention has been shown and described in detail, I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown, as various changes both in the form and relation of the parts thereof may readily be made without dcparting from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A holder for salt blocks, comprising in combination with a substantially vertically disposed supporting membe of a receptacle for receiving an end portion of a salt block and supporting said block in an upright position, and means rotatably connecting the receptacle with the supporting member, said means including elements disposed in angular relation 'with respect to eaca other, whereby the receptacle and salt block will be maintained in an inclined position with respect to the horizontal for the purpose set forth.

2. A holder for salt blocks, comprising in combination with a substantially vertically disposed supporting member, of a receptacle for receiving one end portion of a salt block and supporting said block in an upright position, a supporting bracket for the receptacle, means connecting with the supporting member, whereby said bracket is maintained in a predetermined substantially horizontal position, and means including relatively rotatable hold: ing elements connecting the receptacle with the bracket, said holding elements being so constructed and arranged that the receptacle Will rotate about an axis inclined with respect to the vertical for the purpose set forth.

3. A holder for salt blocks as defined in claim 2 wherein the receptacle and bracket are each composed of a molded non-corrosive material.

4. A holder for salt blocks, comprising in combination, a receptacle for receiving one end portion of a salt block and supporting said block in a substantially upright position, a supporting bracket for the receptacle, fastening means associated with one end of the bracket for re-,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 905,944 Southard Dec. s, 1908 1,660,533 Stevens Feb. 28, 1928 2,203,275 Beyea June 4-, 1940 

